BBC reveals new look at The Other Bennet Sister 2026 Christmas specials as Gavin & Stacey legend returns

The BBC has unveiled first-look images from its upcoming The Other Bennet Sister 2026 Christmas specials, giving fans a glimpse at Ruth Jones and other returning cast members.

The three festive episodes, which will continue the story of Mary Bennet – the largely overlooked middle sister in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice – following the events of season 1, will air in the UK on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, and in the US and Canada on BritBox.

One new image (below) shows Ella Bruccoleri's Mary gazing into the eyes of Tom Hayward (Donal Finn), who fans will remember popped the question in the season 1 finale.

"But with marriage comes a new identity and the question remains: who will Mary become as Mrs Hayward?" the official logline for the Christmas special teases.

"But just as Mary begins this new chapter, an unexpected visitor from her past arrives at her door in need of her help."

Another image (at the top of this page) shows Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey) in action as Mrs Bennet, while a third (below) shows Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education) as Caroline Bingley and Laurie Davidson (The Girlfriend) as Mr Ryder.

Other returning cast members include Poppy Gilbert (Chloe) as Lizzie Darcy, Maddie Close (Chasing Red) as Jane Bingley, Grace Hogg-Robinson (COBRA) as Lydia Wickham and Molly Wright (The A Word) as Kitty Buncock.

Joining the cast this time around is Nerys Amber Stocks (Out There) who will star as Lucy, the Haywards' housekeeper.

Meanwhile, behind the camera, Sarah Quintrell returns to write the episodes, which are based on storylines by author Janice Hadlow, while Asim Abbasi, who directed five episodes of the first season, will take on directing duties once again.

The drama premiered in May 2025 and soon became a huge hit for the BBC, with the opening episode reaching an impressive audience of 7.3 million across BBC One and iPlayer in the 28 days after launch.

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The Other Bennet Sister Christmas special is coming soon to BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The Other Bennet Sister season 1 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.